The Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) of OAR is conducting research on the influence of meteorological and oceanographic factors upon coral bleaching, and other biogeochemical processes occurring on coral reefs. Instrument arrays to measure the various environmental influences are being deployed at key coral reef areas to gain long-term temporally intensive data coverage, to provide near real-time information products, and to surface-truth NOAA satellite sea surface temperature (SST) products used for coral bleaching predictions (HotSpot products).

OAR has developed expert system software plus the instrument array (together called a Coral Reef Early Warning System, or ICON, station) to screen data in near real-time to test for appropriate data ranges for each of the instruments, and to issue alerts as to conditions thought to be conducive to coral bleaching, and other modeled events. At each ICON station, local collaborators also provide feedback on the presence and progress of coral bleaching and thus validate coral bleaching predictions made by satellite HotSpots and ICON information products.